Albert Nicholas
MP
Nicholas in 2017
Minister of Internal Affairs
In office
15 March 2015 – 21 September 2018
Prime MinisterHenry Puna
Preceded byNandi Glassie
Succeeded byVaine Mokoroa
Member of the Cook Islands Parliament
for Avatiu–Ruatonga–Palmerston
Assumed office
9 July 2014
Preceded byJohn Henry
Personal details
Born (1971-09-02) 2 September 1971
Political partyDemocratic Party
RelationsAlbert (Peto) Nicholas

Albert Taaviri Kaitara Nicholas (born 2 September 1971)[1] is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the Cook Islands Party. He is the son of former MP Albert (Peto) Nicholas.[2]

Nicholas was born on Rarotonga and educated at Avarua School and Tereora College.[1] He worked as a public servant for Customs before becoming self-employed.[1] He first elected to parliament in the 2014 election as a representative of the Democratic Party. He represents the seat of Avatiu–Ruatonga–Palmerston.

In March 2015, Nicholas switched his support to the government of Henry Puna in exchange for a cabinet post as Minister of Internal Affairs, Youth and Sport, the Ombudsman, and the Punanga Nui market.[2][3] He was subsequently expelled from the Democratic Party.[4]

In 2016, he was part of the Cook Islands' delegation to the second Pacific Parliamentary Forum in Wellington, New Zealand.[5] In April 2017 he resigned from parliament in order to end speculation over his defection from the Democrats.[6] He was re-elected in the resulting 2017 Avatiu–Ruatonga–Palmerston by-election.[7]

He was re-elected at the 2018 election.[8] On 21 September 2018 Nicholas was sacked from cabinet without explanation while overseas for health reasons. He was replaced by Vaine Mokoroa.[9]

In January 2019, Nicholas was charged in New Zealand with "unlawfully taking a motor vehicle", a rental car. He entered a plea of not guilty the following month, and was released on bail, returning to the Cook Islands.[10] He failed to appear at a second hearing at Manukau District Court on 26 March, resulting in an arrest warrant being issued. He was nonetheless sworn back into parliament on 9 April.[11] As of June 2019, the arrest warrant remains active, and Nicholas will be arrested if he returns to New Zealand.[12]

In February 2020 Nicholas was seriously injured in a car accident.[13] In March 2020 Nicholas admitted that he had pledged his support to the government of Henry Puna in exchange for a bridge being built in his electorate.[14]

Following the election of Mark Brown as Prime Minister he was appointed Associate Minister for the Cook Islands Investment Corporation.[15]

He was re-elected at the 2022 Cook Islands general election.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Albert Taaviri Kaitara NICHOLAS". Cook Islands Parliament. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  2. 1 2 Phillipa Webb (16 March 2015). "Nicholas jumps to the other side". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  3. ↑ "Defecting Cook Islands MP given cabinet post". RNZ International. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  4. ↑ "Defecting MP expelled from Cook Islands Democratic party". RNZ. 19 November 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  5. ↑ "MPs represent country in NZ". Cook Islands News. 23 November 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  6. ↑ "Resigned Cooks Minister expected to contest by-election". RNZ. 10 April 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  7. ↑ "Cooks' Nicholas has big win in by-election". RNZ. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  8. ↑ "Preliminary Results from Votes Counted 14-06-2018". Cook Islands Ministry of Justice. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  9. ↑ "Cook Islands cabinet minister sacked". Radio New Zealand International. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  10. ↑ "Nicholas enters not guilty plea in NZ". Cook Islands News. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  11. ↑ "Man wanted for arrest in NZ sworn in as Cook Islands MP". Radio New Zealand. 9 April 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  12. ↑ "Arrest warrant for Nicholas still active". Cook Islands News. 1 June 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  13. ↑ Rashneel Kumar (27 March 2020). "MP returns after three weeks injured in hospital". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  14. ↑ Rashneel Kumar (19 March 2020). "'I could have caused headaches for the PM'". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  15. ↑ Emmanuel Samoglou and Rashneel Kumar (8 October 2020). "PM takes on 17 portfolios". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  16. ↑ "WARRANT DECLARING THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES AND THE NUMBER OF VOTES RECEIVED BY EACH CANDIDATE" (PDF). Cook Islands Gazette. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
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